Mendoza grapples with bitter cold as lawmakers debate cold‑zone gas subsidy

The Argentine province of Mendoza is enduring an unusually harsh winter, with low and mid‑elevation river basins receiving snowfall while higher mountain peaks remain snow‑free. The snow accumulation, captured by the Department General de Irrigación, is affecting river flow monitoring and agricultural water planning across the region.

At the same time, local officials and residents are warning that the federal "Zona Fría" program – a gas‑subsidy scheme for areas with severe winter conditions – is under threat of being dismantled in a broader fiscal adjustment. Critics argue that removing the subsidy would expose thousands of families in Mendoza to unaffordable heating costs, undermining seasonal survival and deepening economic hardship.

Lawmakers in the national Congress are being urged to protect the program, emphasizing that the cold reality in Mendoza is a material fact, not a political abstraction. The outcome will determine whether the region continues to receive targeted energy support during its harsh winter season.